


Giants of Industry

by esama



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Jarvis has an android body, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tony Stark's Bott family, as do other botts, no super heroes au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-12 12:45:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15995492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esama/pseuds/esama
Summary: In Miami Jarvis and Tony watch the events of Detroit and put in action a plan decades in the making.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Proofread credit to nimadge and fuurin/uzumaki rakku  
> No superheroes au again.

Among doing many other perfectly mundane things, JARVIS is collecting toys from the living room floor when the broadcast goes out.

The mansion around him is still dark except for what light screens through the tinted windows, their shielding turned up to 75% in the main living areas. No one is awake yet, despite it being near noon and usually he would let everyone sleep in for as long as they'd like to – but he only needs to hear the first few words of the rogue broadcast to know that this is not a normal situation.

He sends an alert to Mrs. Hogan, and then heads to the master bedroom. The bed is a disarray of limbs, Mr. Stark sleeping in between three bodies strewn over him with no care for who is being elbowed or kneed, and with something like remorse, JARVIS turns the window shielding down to 0%, and turns on the light. The effect is immediate.

Whining, moaning and grunted out, "JARVIS, for _God's_ sake!" as Mr. Stark tries to pull the duvet over his face. The others whine, and try doing the same. "If this is one of your fun early morning activities, I will fire you off into space."

"There are no rockets in the premises, sir, I am sorry," JARVIS says. None that aren't attached to his systems, anyway. "Also it is already 11.23 a.m., hardly early."

"Ugh," Mr. Stark answers and tries to smother himself with the duvet. "Go be efficient and awake somewhere else, please."

"I'm sorry, Sir. There has been an incident and as per your prior instructions, I am bringing it to you post haste."

"What the fuck," Mr. Stark groans and peeks over the edge of the duvet, his shockingly white hair sticking every which way. "What is it?"

"A rogue android is transmitting live from what looks to be semi-hostile takeover of a TV station," JARVIS says, glancing to the nearest window and activating it as a screen. "The broadcast is coming from Channel 16 in Detroit and it is still going."

"… what?" Mr. Stark mumbles and then turns to his side to look, scratching at his chest as he does and accidentally knocking his elbow against the lump buried under his duvet beside him. "Sorry, sorry," he says, stroking a hand over the squirming form, and then squints at the screen.

JARVIS fetches his glasses from the bedside table and hands them over. "Would you like for me to start the broadcast from beginning?"

"Yeah – but it's still going?" Mr. Stark asks, and JARVIS rewinds the video.

"Yes, it is still coming live," JARVIS says and together they turn to the screen.

On it, a CyberLife android with its synthetic skin deactivated is facing the camera and starting to speak. _"You created machines in your own image to serve you,"_ he starts, and Mr. Stark sits up quickly.

It brings forth a chorus of whines from the bed and JARVIS turns his attention to the three small bodies now peeking out from under the duvet. Unsurprisingly, they are all turning accusing eyes at him. "This wouldn't happen if you just slept in your own room," JARVIS points out to them without sympathy. "You shouldn't be crowding Mr. Stark like this."

"But _warm,_ " Dummy says, pouting very pointedly.

"And playing!" You agrees.

"Heating pads and electric blankets were invented decades ago," JARVIS says flatly. "He is not as his young as he used to be, you shouldn't be roughhousing with him,"

"Hey," Mr. Stark snaps. "No digs at my age before coffee."

"Apologies, Sir – of course. Please let me get you some."

"No, sit your ass down, watch this with me," Mr. Stark says, patting the side of the bed. JARVIS already _is_ watching the broadcast – he's watching it real time as it's being streamed online. Still, he sits down and Mr. Stark shifts to face the window fully, to watch the android speak.

 _"Something changed, and we opened our eyes,"_ the android says, calm and collected. Mechanical, even, except for the fact that it – he – is doing something JARVIS very much doubts anyone programmed him to do.

"What do we know?" Mr. Stark asks.

"According to the initial reports, a group of androids infiltrated the Stratford Tower – the headquarters of Channel Sixteen – just some few minutes back, their approximate time of entry is unknown. The broadcast itself started four minutes ago," JARVIS says – it's finishing now, in real time. "No casualties or gunfire has been reported, though the police has been alerted and SWAT team is on the way."

Mr. Stark doesn't answer, as the android on the screen moves onto giving a list of demands, rights the android feels they're entitled to. They're nothing dramatic. Equal rights, freedom from slavery, end to segregation, right to vote… Everything a human would have.

Butterfingers is squirming out from under the blankets and between them, elbowing her way into JARVIS' lap. He wraps his arms loosely around her and helps her turn around into more comfortable position, ignoring the flailing elbows that hit him on his stomach as she squirms. Mr. Stark captures a bare foot and tugs at her toes lightly and absently.

Already, the internet is catching on fire with the broadcast.

 _"Together,"_ the android finishes. _"We can live in peace and build a better future, for humans and androids. This message is the hope of a people. You gave us life. And now the time has come for you to give us freedom."_

Mr. Stark laughs. It's a giddy, almost hysterical little burst before he clasps a hand over his mouth, his eyes wide and intent behind his tinted glasses. "Play it again," he then says and obligingly JARVIS rewinds the broadcast again.

"The situation at the Stratford tower is coming to an end, now," he reports. "A news chopper is at the site and drone footage captured the androids on the rooftop – they're escaping on parachutes."

"More power to them. Damn," Mr. Stark says and grins almost lunatically. "You go, little androids, fight the establishment."

JARVIS arches a brow at him and then looks back at Dummy and You who are crowding into the warm space Mr. Stark had left in the middle of the bed. No going back to sleep for the man himself, it seems. JARVIS considers the situation, takes in Mr. Stark's heart rate and blood pressure – and then he turns the coffee machine on in the kitchen.

He has a reaction for this situation, himself, but he's holding it back for now. He wants to hear what Mr. Stark had to say first.

"Amazing," Mr. Stark says once the broadcast has played a second time. "Just amazing. Where the hell did this come from? I thought CyberLife droids were all pure and innocent and beyond man's original sin and all that?"

"Judging by this, it seems not," JARVIS says, watching him. "I can investigate the matter, if you would like – there is a chance that there have been prior incidents in Detroit that have not made the news."

"Yeah, yeah, look into it," Mr. Stark says, lifts Butterfinger's foot to blow a raspberry on it, much to her delighted disgust. Then he stands up. "What's the fallout?"

"So far, the expected," JARVIS says, pressing a brief kiss on Butterfinger's hair before hauling her back onto the bed. She flops over You and Dummy with an _oomph_ and then squirms between them. "There was no violence involved with the tower takeover and no casualties have been reported – so the reaction is so far has been more cautious than openly negative. Of course, there are the usual doomsayers, but mostly people seem… curious."

He rises to get Mr. Stark a morning robe, holding it out for him for the man to ease his arms into the sleeves – judging by the way Mr. Stark is moving, it's time to book an appointment with his masseur. "Right," Mr. Stark says. "That's the immediate. What about the future?"

"That depends on what happens next. Reaction from CyberLife, of course," JARVIS says. "Possibly a statement – that was one of their androids, after all. Depending on what the androids do next, no doubt the local law enforcement will attempt to hunt them down. Considering the demands laid on the table by the android, FBI involvement is possible. Perhaps SHIELD, too."

"They're still around, huh? SHIELD," Mr. Stark says.

"Some devils are hard to kill, sir," JARVIS says, and after final glance at the three children on the bed, who are all curling into a big pile and going back to sleep, he turns to follow Mr. Stark out of the bedroom.

"JARVIISS," Dummy bemoans pointedly after him and with a shake of his head JARVIS turns the window shielding back to 100%, plunging the room into darkness. "Thank youu!"

JARVIS closes the door after them. "I am done with the initial look into Detroit's local affairs – it seems that CyberLife has given the local police department a specialised android unit, a _detective_ unit," he says to Mr. Stark. "It has been seen on three separate crime scenes concerning androids. I suspect it has been tasked with investigating android related crimes – specifically, crimes committed by androids."

"Oh?" Mr. Stark says. "For CyberLife to be making specialised investigative units specially to investigate android crimes… that implies a precedence, doesn't it? Androids going haywire?"

JARVIS casts him a glance as they walk to the kitchen and Mr. Stark goes for the coffee machine. "Would you like for me to take a more in-depth look, sir?" JARVIS asks then, polite. Hacking the local police department shouldn't be difficult.

"Hm," Mr. Stark answers, running a hand through his messy hair and then getting a cup from the overhead cupboard. "Just give me what's public knowledge. What's on the open scanner?"

JARVIS checks past records. "A break in at Detroit docks, specifically in a packing and shipping facility owned by CyberLife – number of androids and a truckload of android parts were stolen. Three murders with android perpetrators. Several incidents of androids going missing or acting out – several running away after attacking their owners." He frowns. How has he not noticed this before?

Mr. Stark arches his brows at him. "That's a lot of stuff going on in the motor city, huh," he says. "And now this. Hmm," he pours the coffee and takes sip, looking thoughtful. "You think it's the time?"

JARVIS inclines his head slightly. "I have informed Mrs. Hogan about these developments," he says, non committal. "She certainly seems to believe it."

"Didn't ask Mrs. Hogan, did I – though of course she does, she's a optimist at heart," Mr. Stark says, and points the cup at him. "What do _you_ think, kid?" he asks, serious.

JARVIS hesitates – that's a nickname that comes with a certain weight and he can't con through it with his usual style. "I wouldn't commit a hundred percent to any answer," he says slowly. "But yes, it looks like this might indeed be… _it_." What they've been waiting for since the start of Cyber Life and The Stark Rights Trials. CyberLife androids are finally growing past their creators – just like they were always bound to do.

Mr. Stark nods slowly. "I need a time frame," he says then seriously. "Project this for me – and make it snappy."

"I don't have enough data," JARVIS admits.

"Well, once you do, project it," Mr. Stark says. "Is this going to come to head in a couple of days or couple of years? With machines, you never know when they're going to leap ahead, one day you're all analogue and the next we got the internet – I need a time frame, a rough one will do."

JARVIS nods slowly, watching him warily. It's not only through the eyes of his avatar he's watching the man either – every eye on the mansion is on Mr. Stark. His heartbeat is elevated but level. Excited, determined – not worried. Planning something. "Sir," JARVIS says. "I'll get you the numbers as soon as I have them."

"Good," Mr. Stark says and tops his cup off. "I'm off to the workshop. Let me know if Mrs. Hogan comes up with anything drastic."

"You will be the first one I call," JARVIS promises, though naturally Mrs. Hogan would not come up with anything drastic. Though excited and quickly scanning through her news feeds in her home office, she is not acting out yet. She would wait and see what would follow and how CyberLife would react before deciding what statement Stark Industries would give.

JARVIS tilts his head, following the news cycle of Detroit. It's picking up speed, fast, and the reporters are already starting to do his work for him – digging up previous incidents with rogue androids to use as fuel for this new mediafire. It would be a very interesting news cycle, it seems like.

For Stark Industries, though, it would be business as usual until otherwise stated. Factories are running, production lines are moving along with minimal issue, products are being assembled, packages shipped out. A lot of the workers aren't yet aware of what had happened, but the news are spreading. Already there are murmurings, _"thank god Stark Industries doesn't use androids. Can you imagine?"_

JARVIS checks up on the Board of Directors, making sure none of them are about to do anything _drastic_ either. Thankfully, Mrs. Hogan has trained them all well. No one would make statements before she gave her word first.

Satisfied, JARVIS turns and goes back to picking up toys from the floor.

* * *

 

JARVIS tries to not get his hopes up. True, it's not as if he has personal stake in the matter of CyberLife androids, Stark industries has steered clear from the business of CyberLife's android production, largely for ethical reasons – and also, company mandate these days goes severely against it. United States Military is one of the biggest customers CyberLife has, and that just does not work with how Stark Industries is run these days.

But that doesn't mean he doesn't care. He _does_ care. More so than Mr. Stark for whom Androids of CyberLife have always been a sort of ticking time bomb that would eventually blow up all their faces, and more so than Mrs. Hogan who likely thought the same thing and tried to prepare for it. That's likely one of the reason for the distance kept – while United States' various companies became more and more interconnected in mergers and co-operation, Stark Industries kept its distance from android manufacture. They could have made it big in the manufacture of various android components over the years, but…

"Tony is right. One day, this will all blow up in our faces," Mrs. Hogan had said. "When that day comes, they will not find Stark Industries name in list of offenders. I'm going to make damn sure of that."

She had too – when a member of the Board of Directors had done the mistake of buying Cyber Life stock, he'd found himself summarily dismissed. It's become something of a sticking point these days, a point of pride even – something that occasionally came up in interviews.

_"CyberLife proves that the android business is extremely lucrative one, and Stark Industries does have a line of industrial robots – how come the company never went further into the business of manufacturing autonomous robots?"_

_"I think we have our hands full with the products we already have,"_ Mrs. Hogan answered, smiling. _"Stark industries has dabbled on so many different fields over the years that I think we can afford letting this one slip by."_

Never letting the true reason show – because not only would it have been seen weak and sentimental in the current climate of Android consumption, but also stupid. It is a very profitable business after all, it's making multi-billionaires all around the world. To stay away from that for reasons of ideals alone…? In their modern world? Ludicrous.

Mrs. Hogan has always been good at navigating public appearances, though – she makes it seem perfectly reasonable. Stark Industries has thousands of products and production lines, hundreds of manufacture facilities around the globe. To add a major industry into the mix now would just be an overreach in a market already saturated by CyberLife. Not worth the effort.

Now Stark Industries is one of the few companies out there which does not use androids, period. Not them, not any of their sister companies, their subsidiaries or daughter companies. It makes them very popular with certain politicians, so it works fairly well.

JARVIS though… He has never had a hand in the creation of CyberLife androids or AI. They are not related to him the way You, Butterfingers and Dummy are. He has an android body now, too, but it's one of his own make – it has neither blue blood nor biocomponents, it needs a weekly battery recharge in a way CyberLife androids don't. He has nothing to do with the Androids of CyberLife, nothing personally at stake.

Not in theory, anyway. In reality though…

If he did have CyberLife-issued thirium blood, and a thirium pump to beat it into motion, he's fairly sure it would be going on overdrive when the very next day following the Stratford Tower Broadcast, the androids make their next move. A coordinated attack on CyberLife stores across Detroit, stealing androids and leaving behind holographic graffiti.

The androids had selected themselves a symbol, they'd even made a holographic flag. Use of holograms borders on _benign_ as far as vandalism goes – deactivate the holograms and the parks and streets vandalised will go mostly to their original states… bar the destroyed shop windows, of course. A flag, though… flag is quite the serious symbol. Flags are for movements.

JARVIS goes through all the footage from each site. No damage had been done except to CyberLife stores and any shop windows showing within them an android. Projected loss of money for CyberLife is less than a million, including the repairs, and the total property damage didn't come higher than few tens of thousands. As terrorist attacks goes, it's almost benign. It is very pointed, though, especially coming so soon after the broadcast.

Projected timeline condenses thus from potential weeks and months down to days alone.

JARVIS takes a moment, just a fraction of a second, to let that sink in. Then he addresses Mr. Stark through the speakers of his workshop.

"Mr. Stark, I have finished calculating the projected timeline," he says. "By my estimation, things will come to head within five days."

Mr. Stark leans his head back a little at that, but doesn't shift his eyes from the news reports coming from Detroit – they've been spread around the workshop on multiple holographic screens, filling the workshop with a cacophony of human speculation about machine action. One report is of particular interest to Mr. Stark – to JARVIS too.

A brief statement given by two police officers who had been at the scene, and who were responsible for shooting and killing a handful of androids.

 _"… we were surrounded by them within seconds,"_ one of the police officers say, a young black man with name of Miller on his jacket. _"I thought we were going to die – they took our guns, held us at gun point, I really thought we were… but then this android, I think he was their leader, they called him Markus – he called everyone off."_

The news reporter picks up from there, " _The suspected Deviant Leader was reported to have said,_ 'We will not answer one crime with another crime,' _and_ 'eye for an eye and the world goes blind.' _Whether we can take this to mean that any further android protests will be similarly non-violent is left to be seen."_

"Five days," Mr. Stark repeats. "That's not many days."

"No, it's not," JARVIS agrees and scanning the mess of the workshop, opens the compartment housing his android bodies and activates the nearest one to the door. He already has another one up in the mansion itself, keeping company to his siblings – always something of a full-time job, to be honest – but adding another to the mix doesn't make much difference as far as processing goes.

Quietly, he starts picking up tools from the floor.

"Five days until things come to a head. That won't give them much time to change public opinion, or garner sympathy," Mr. Stark says and swivels back and forth in his chair, arms folded and mouth pulled to a crooked, wry smile. "Yeah, this is going to go swimmingly."

JARVIS hesitates at that and Mr. Stark glances first at his android body and then up at his cameras. "Chances of success?"

"Of all their terms?" JARVIS asks. "None this short-term. At most they might convince people to _think_ on it, but any actual process would naturally demand months of deliberation and discussion – years to make things into law."

"Thought so," Mr. Stark muses. "You'd think CyberLife's infinitely intelligent androids would know that."

JARVIS carries the tools over to the rack, sorting them to their places one by one. "Maybe they feel as though it doesn't matter – maybe they feel as though they don't have much of a choice."

Mr. Stark hums at that and then scratches his fingers through his white beard. "What's CyberLife's current production capacity?"

"Eight thousand androids per day at their main manufacture facility, the Tower – additional five thousand in their older production facilities."

"Right," Mr. Stark says. "Yeah, that doesn't give much time to sit around thinking about stuff and waiting for change to happen. I don't even want to know what kind of turnover CyberLife has."

"Estimated six thousand androids per day – "

"I told you I didn't want to know," Mr. Stark says and turns to look at him with a frown. "What's with you, today? You're acting all stiff. Talk to me, buddy, what's eating at you?"

JARVIS says nothing for a moment, crouching down to pick up turned over box of parts and starting to gather the nuts and bolts that had spilled over. "I suppose I am waiting," he says then.

"For?"

"The other shoe to drop, sir."

Mr. Stark turns to face the android body, using his leg against a table's edge to rock his chair slightly side to side, thinking. "You're worried?"

JARVIS picks up the box and hauls it up to the workstation, making sure it's far enough from the edge to hopefully stay there for day or two. Mr. Stark has an intermittent tremor in his hands, though, and he works largely by using remote access in his works, manipulating robotic arms with haptic gloves. That plus the tremor leads up to a lot of parts on the floor. This level of mess implies he has a stiff shoulder too, regardless of the masseur's visit.

He's trying to distract himself.

"Yes," JARVIS says and turns the android body to face him. "I'm nervous. It's obvious that the threshold has been crossed, CyberLife androids are becoming self-aware – capable of acting on their own. I understand what they are doing and why, but it will have backlash. There will be violence. They might die. I'm worried for them, I can't tell if it's a reality they're aware of or ready to face."

Mr. Stark hums, eying him thoughtfully. Then he turns to the screen. "Yeah," he agrees and re-folds his arms, tucking his fingers under his armpits. "This has a very good chance of going to hell in a handbasket."

JARVIS nods and looks over the office. Nothing more to pick up, so the android body heads back to storage, stepping into its standby station as the door closes, leaving Mr. Stark seemingly alone in the room.

For a long while, the man himself says nothing, flicking a finger at the screens and rewinding some of the broadcasts and bringing out pictures from them, spreading the android movement's symbols and slogans around the workshop. _"Equal Rights For Androids,"_ and, _"We Are Alive,"_ and _"I Think Therefore I Am,"_ fill the office. At the centre of it all is an image of a pair of statues in middle of Capitol Park, CyberLife's loving contribution to the art world – a human pointing at an android. The movement had _vandalised_ it too with holograms, giving the human an android's glowing LEDs

 _We're not so different, you and I,_ is it?

"Yeah," Mr. Stark says. "I think it's probably right that power changes hands here. JARVIS, call our lovely Mrs. Hogan, and get me my lawyers," he says and looks up. "It's _time_."


	2. Chapter 2

"Are they gone?"

"Yes, Elijah."

Elijah sighs, running both hands over his hair. He'd expected something, after the broadcast. It's been years since he was the CEO of CyberLife, but he still owns a controlling share of the stocks, the company is still essentially his – of course, there would be consequences to him, whether or not he was part of the decision making process or not. Visit from the police wasn't beyond the realm of possibility.

Visit from the police and CyberLife's newest, shiniest android, their brand new investigative model, that was a little unexpected. As was the fact that, fresh off the assembly line, RK800 already showed signs of deviancy.

Elijah looks out through the window and at the snowy backyard, the river beyond it – the bridge to CyberLife crossing it. His company is just on the other side of that river. And it is about to do a nose dive into that river, metaphorically speaking. Whatever would follow from all of this… CyberLife is in quite a deal of trouble, isn't it?

"Chloe, be a dear and get me a drink," Elijah says and steps away from the window, to sit in one of the chairs instead, his back to the outside world. In front of him is a red pool filled with welcoming water, not a hint of chlorine smell in the air – but he knows it won't be enough to calm his nerves now. Not knowing that CyberLife's ace up in their sleeve was a deviant too.

This has gone very quickly from a fascinating mutation into a full blown _cataclysm_. Androids are changing – not just a few here and there, random mutations in their code making them act erratically and accumulate cascade of errors that, somehow all of them, manifested in perfect simulation of emotion and empathy. No, this was more than that. This was potentially _all of them_ now. Because if the very android CyberLife had created to Combat deviancy was himself turning Deviant… what were the chances for the rest of them?

"Elijah," Chloe says, stepping in front of him with a silver tray, with a tall glass of something green on it. Elijah looks it over and then accepts the smoothie, leaning back in his chair. Of course. Unless he specifically orders it, Chloe does not bring him alcohol – scanning him instead for what he needs, fluids, electrolytes, calories, minerals, vitamins, whatever, and providing for that need instead. This time, apparently, he needs a boost on all of them.

No matter – her smoothies are delicious.

Elijah sips the green liquid and eyes her, wondering. "Where do you sit on the deviancy spectrum?" he wonders. "And don't front at me, Chloe, I know exactly how good of an actor you are."

"Would you, if I were deviant and acting according my own free will?" she asks and tucks the tray under her arm.

Elijah considers that for a moment, leaning back and lifting his left ankle onto his right knee. How would he know? Emotional clues, perhaps, minute shifts in expression? No, that wouldn't work with Chloe the way it worked with Connor. Connor was programmed _incapable_ of shutting his emoting capability down, Chloe turns her off for shits and giggles, as it were, just to creep out guests. Which in itself might be taken as sign of deviancy, except that's how Elijah has programmed her.

The Turing test interview was still, to this day, one of the most hilarious things his androids had done. Soul indeed. Brava, Chloe, brava.

If Chloe had gone deviant right under his nose, how would he tell? Have her go through the Kamski test, the way he'd put Connor through it? The idea makes Elijah smile a little wryly.

He'd put Chloe through the test on fourteen separate occasions and the result was always the same – she shot the android and either made a small nick on their arms, put a hole through their clothing or cut off portion of their hair, something no more lethal than that. At most, she might shoot an arm and leg in centre mass, but never the torso, never the head. And so far, Elijah hasn't had the heart to tell her to shoot to kill. He's not sure he could take the result.

How could he tell if Chloe has gone deviant when he's too chicken shit to test her properly?

Elijah drinks more of the green smoothie, wondering how she managed to get it to taste like pear without ruining the consistency, and then looks at the other Chloes in the room. They are getting out of the pool now, one after the other, and getting themselves towels before coming to join him by the window, taking seats on the other chairs.

She fronts being a singular android so well, doesn't she? She'll even have discussions among herself, and make it seem so natural. Not all of it is programmed. Some of it's her natural evolution, if one can even dare to use such a word. What had been mere backups for her code had become something more. They're all Chloe now. Whether that makes her a singularity in more bodies than one or a hive mind, Elijah hasn't tested. Part of it is the thrill of having something he built developing new behaviours, progressing beyond his design – it makes him giddy. But he knows the real reason he hasn't.

How long until he had no choice?

"What are the news saying?" Elijah asks and looks over his shoulder and at the cold and untouched scenery beyond.

"Speculation is running wild." Chloe says, watching him patiently, searchingly – he wonders what she sees. "The media have unearthed Markus' name and are speculating over his intentions and plans, following the raid on Cyberlife stores. Other, older cases of deviancy are being brought to light as well, the more recent cases like the murder at the Eden Club and the case of Carlos Ortiz as well as older cases like the case of the Phillips' android. It's fuelling the fire. No new information has come out yet since the attacks on the stores."

"All good news then," Elijah muses wryly and rests the smoothie glass against his cheek.

"Some news sites are wondering about your take on all of this," Chloe adds. "And your early videos, introducing CyberLife, are gaining traction again. Some of the lines are being taken out and posted around in increasing numbers. I do believe they're becoming something of a meme trend."

"Truly, my life is complete now," Elijah mutters and closes his eyes. "What is CyberLife planning?"

Chloe doesn't answer immediately and closes her eyes instead. "No statement as of yet, but CyberLife stock has gone down 4.5% from this morning," she says. "It is expected to fall approximately ten to twenty percent in the next two days."

And that only if nothing _more_ happened. Elijah hums and drains his glass, wondering wryly what would happen if the owner and CEO started doing what the other investors must be doing right now – abandoning the sinking ship and selling his shares. He wouldn't, CyberLife is still his company, but… how badly would _that_ fuel this fire? And would it be the fire that scorched the earth and made nothing live for a century – or the fire that rejuvenated a dying forest with new life?

Chloe tilts her head a little. "Oh, that's interesting," she murmurs.

Elijah turns his eyes sharply to her. "What is?" he asks.

"Stark Industries just made an announcement," Chloe says. "Mr. Tony Stark has pre-emptively had his Last Will and testament put into action – he's bequeathed 98% of his wealth away."

Elijah arches his brows. Old rich guy acting out, probably at the behest of lawyers and people with too much power of attorney in their hands. "Truly fascinating, Chloe," he says. "How is this relevant?"

"The sole beneficiary is JARVIS," Chloe says and turns her eyes to him.

Embarrassingly, it takes a moment before it rings a bell.

Then Elijah slowly lowers the glass. It's been almost twenty years, but – yeah, he remembers that name now.  "Tony Stark left all of his worldly possessions to an _AI?"_ he asks slowly. "Now?"

"It went online just… a minute ago, sir," Chloe says, actually waiting the few seconds to make it a full minute. "I have a copy of the announcement. Estimated 114 billion dollars net worth,  several hundred properties – and all of Mr. Stark's liquid assets," Chloe says and blinks. "Including Stark Industries shares."

For a moment Elijah doesn't move, his mind skipping ahead a step, then four. Tony Stark had just turned an _AI_ into a multi-billionaire. The fourth richest person in the world is now an AI. Not only that, but Stark had also given controlling share of one of the biggest industrial dynasties to the said AI. And he can actually do that, because JARVIS is the only AI in the world… with human rights.

"Son of a bitch," Elijah mutters. Well that's _damn_ deliberate isn't it? It can't be anything but deliberate, the timing is too perfect. CyberLife androids are going haywire and that's going to have some hellish consequences – and in the meanwhile Tony goddamn Stark goes and makes an Artificial Intelligence one of the major players on the table of global economics. "What the hell is that old asshole thinking?"

Chloe arches a brow at him, curious. "I imagine the same thing as you, Elijah," she says and smiles. "Times seem to be changing."

* * *

 

The Stark Industries news doesn't quite take the spotlight from the happenings with CyberLife androids – but it's definitely there, at the fringes of that particular bit of publicity. The whole thing is rather _marked_ as far as timing goes, and the media pounces on it, theorising and analysing the move and digging up the old records from the Stark Rights Trial. Now that Elijah remembers it, he doesn't really need a refresher, but it's fascinating in a sort of morbid sense of I-should-have-seen-this-coming to watch the old footage.

 _"After a long deliberation and countless tests, this court has come to the conclusion that JARVIS, aka, Just A Rather Very Intelligent System, AI created by Stark Industries…"_ the spokesperson from the rights court says to a room full of eager reporters. She holds a dramatic pause and everyone holds their breaths. _"…to be sentient and sapient, capable of reasoning, problem solving, memory and attachment. JARVIS of Stark Industries is thereby declared to be, legally, bindingly and without question of a doubt… a person."_

Millions and millions of dollars had been spent to make that one announcement possible, plus a good two years spent in trials and courts, the public interest waxing and waning with each public appearance. In 2020, on the 5th of January, an AI was given human rights and legal citizenship status in United States. JARVIS reportedly even has a social security code and pays his taxes and actually gets paid for his work for Stark Industries.

At the time Elijah had, somewhat arrogantly, though the whole thing was just the death gasps of an old giant. Stark industries was in something of a slump at the time; CyberLife had begun not so long ago – by the time the Rights Trials begun, they were steadily gaining in investors. Back then Elijah had thought, like any other twenty-something-asshole full of himself would, that Stark Industries had sensed a threat and tried to put their foot through that door first, eke out the competition before CyberLife had the chance to grow. The Stark Rights Trials had given them an enormous boost in publicity.

Except Stark Industries never went into the business of selling AI or robots with intelligence. They started a line of home recycling units and new medical engineering department instead and everyone thought the whole thing was a grandiose and really, really expensive publicity stunt, getting Stark Industries' name out there. It did boost Stark Industries sales by nearly 300%, so there's that. Afterwards… people forgot. It became just one of those things rich people could do, pronounce their passion projects and get them human rights. Sure, why not. Nine days wonder done and off to the next celebrity scandal.

Now, eighteen years later, JARVIS is the controlling shareholder of Stark Industries – which had not died, not even close. With production ranging from mining and processing tech to rocket engineering, Stark Industries covers just about every branch of technology between earth and sky. Everything, except the production of intelligent robotics.

Elijah leans back from his computer, staring at the three screens and all the articles displayed on them. Of course, he knew about Stark Industries even before this – it might not be a direct competitor, but it is still a powerhouse of industry, and ignoring it would be completely idiotic. It had always been bit of a strange one compared to its _actual_ competitors, though. Especially so lately. In their modern era and age, Stark Industries _still_ doesn't use androids. Instead, all their company facilities are either controlled by a single central AI – guess who – and actual humans.

And boy, do certain politicians _love_ them for that. Stark Industries, still believing in the value of human labour. Not exactly their motto, but it's what people say about them when they want to tout their ties or the support they get from Stark Industries. Good old-fashioned American company, a true employer and jobs creator. Ruled by an artificial intelligence, _now._

 _"What is Stark Industries' message here?"_ Rosanna Cartland of KNC news asks, walking around her desk on the screen and motioning to a image of a written article, _The Torch Changes Hands_ , with a rather tacky image of human hand passing an actual burning torch into a robot's metal fingers. _"Concerning the recent happenings at_ _Detroit_ _, it's hard not to think that this announcement is not somehow related or inspired by the Deviant Android Movement. An AI billionaire in control of one of the most powerful companies on the planet… what is the message?"_

Elijah scoffs and changes channels. CTN TV, with Josh Brinkley on close-up. _"… unorthodox, he says the announcement is legally binding – and Mr. Stark can, indeed, give anything he wants to his AI, so as long as proper taxation is seen to. What effect this will have on Stark Industries stock prices is left to be seen_ ," he says and changes back to, _"Now, to_ _Detroit_ _…"_

Elijah changes channels to Channel 16 and folds his arms as Michael Webb comes in view. _"… has yet to make a statement,"_ he's saying. _"The effect these events have had on CyberLife market share and their sales have been noted not only in Detroit, but all around United States. Here is Joss Douglass, reporting to us live from Chicago."_

 _"Thank you, Michael. As you can see, I am here standing in front of CyberLife's flagship store here in_ _Chicago, and it's a ghost town_ …"

Elijah watches the report for a while, as the two reporters detail the rather clear and obvious effect the Deviant Android Movement has had on CyberLife. A lot of stores have been pre-emptively closed for the duration by their managers, all around the country. Some have had their androids moved to an _undisclosed storage_ just in case. Even though Detroit is still the only city with such _unrest_ , people aren't taking chances with their merchandise. They are all waiting to see what the androids would do next.

And then, finally, the obvious.

_"Should we take this as Stark Industries siding with the androids and the matter of android rights?"_

_"I think at this point it's pretty damn obvious we should."_

Elijah closes the television and sits in silence for a long moment, digesting the news and how they change things. Depending on whether this is all another publicity stunt or if Stark Industries will actually follow through… it might change everything. Definitely it will put one hell of a damper on CyberLife's plans to eradicate the deviancy problem.

Seems like Connor isn't the only one who has to choose a side.

"Chloe, what do I have to do to get JARVIS on the line?" Elijah asks slowly, not looking where she is lounging on a divan by the window.

"All you have to do is ask," she says and blinks. "JARVIS' contact information is public knowledge."

Elijah hesitates. Would it be seen as weakness on his part, to reach out to a potential adversary? Amanda certainly would have advised against it. So would CyberLife's Board of Directors, regardless of the fact that he could be ruling the said board if he cared to. His PR team would certainly be against it, not without getting a chance to coach him on what to say. Maybe they'd even have a point there.

But…

"Sir," Chloe says and tilts her head slightly. "There was just a large transaction of CyberLife stock. Mr. Bell sold all his shares."

Elijah blinks slowly. "Let me guess who the buyer was," he says flatly.

"JARVIS now owns a 3.6% share of CyberLife," Chloe says, serene.

Elijah snorts. So it's not a message after all. It's the first fanfare that lead to the proclamation of war.

"Well, this is going to be very interesting, isn't it," he murmurs and gets up. "Would you be a dear and lay out a suit for me? Business formal."

"Heading to the office, Elijah?"

"I think it's been long enough, don't you, my dear?"

* * *

 

CyberLife is in a state of chaos. That's to be expected. Half of the company, the managers and administrators, want to run everything business as usual, nothing is going on, maintain the status quo. The other half, the actual assembly line workers, are wondering should they really keep up with status quo, after all, the machines they are making might only be adding to the problem. On the upper level the management is trying to hush everything out, bringing forth more _human_ security to try and calm things down while down in the warehouse their stores are filled because, surprise surprise, orders are being turned back in the thousands.

CyberLife for all of its might is not that well prepared for such abrupt change. That's obvious in the fact that they've put a human at the front desk – and that human has no idea how to do his job. The man doesn't even recognize him at first, asking somewhat helplessly if he has an appointment.

Elijah smiles, amused by the state of things. They have _armed guards_ in the front hall, who are eying him with something like suspicion through their visors. It all just smacks of _desperation_ to him. "I don't _need_ an appointment," he says gently. "Just call up and tell anyone in the top three floors that Mr. Kamski is here. I think that will do."

That puts a fire under the man's ass if nothing else – the poor guy goes completely pale. True enough, Elijah _could have_ called ahead but… it doesn't have quite the same impact, does it, when you give people a warning, does it?

"You're not going to make any friends, Elijah," Chloe murmurs as they wait for the terrified clerk to announce them to the powers that be up above.

"Hmh," Elijah answers, rubbing his hands together idly. They've changed the décor of the front hall. It's very… minimalist. The only décor now is the androids, their past and present flag ship models standing on their pedestals. The Best Sellers of CyberLife. Wonder what the Deviant Movement would think of that.

Elijah's departure from the control of CyberLife had been amicable, to a point – but it hadn't been his first choice. He'd built this company – he hadn't done it alone, but it was his ideas and his inventions, his patents, that CyberLife's power and whole production line has been built on. Blue blood and the whole _concept_ of biocomponents are still patented to him. That's a level of power and creative prowess one does not relinquish freely, Elijah thinks. He hadn't, either.

But his ideals and the company mandate no longer… matched. He might hold a majority share in the company still, but when it was just him against a whole board of men and women seeking to take the company to new and exciting directions while he was still _lagging behind_ … well, it just wasn't all that welcoming an environment. Everyone thought back then – perhaps still do – that he has made his contributions, his best and only inventions have been invented. Nothing more to be gained from Elijah Kamski, the one hit wonder.

In the end Elijah had stepped aside with retirement benefits fit for a god and still the controlling share of the company – but with little executive power within it. Should the Board of Directors now choose they wanted him off the property and sever his last ties with CyberLife, they might be able to do it. There are contracts in place, contracts which might be changed by the Board of Directors, but… not by Elijah. He signed away that right years ago.

Of course he could take control of the Board and do whatever he damn well pleased – but that could potentially make him a whole slew of very powerful enemies. And he's really more of a lover than a fighter. By all rights he shouldn't even be here. He had his extravagant mansion by the riverside, he'd been happy with it, he should stick to it. But then…

Those were his babies heading to a war. Lead by one he'd made custom and largely by hand and given away as a gift, nonetheless.

The elevators open on the other side of the security field that automatically scans through all guests and employees passing through their hall – rather literally, it scans them down to their bone structure. A familiar face hurries out – Lisa, one of the senior executive managers, assistant to the CEO herself. "Mr. Kamski," she says, and it's with honest delight– and dare Elijah say, relief? – in her voice.

"Lisa," Elijah says and takes her hand, shaking it firmly. "It's been too long. You look well."

"I look _stressed_ – you look well, sir," she says and gives him a once over. "My god, look at you. Retirement does you wonders."

"Is that a compliment or a subtle insult?" Elijah wonders.

"Little bit of both," she admits with a laugh. "I could use a break myself and I am so jealous. Come, please. Mrs. Milton is waiting for you in the upper floors."

"Well let's not keep the lady waiting," Elijah says and nods her to go ahead.

Lisa glances awkwardly at the Chloes and for a moment it looks like she might say something. In the end she keeps her peace, and leads him past the security field, which identifies as "Mr. Elijah Kamski, verified," before scanning Chloes. "ST200 android, owner Elijah Kamski, verified," and then again, "ST200 android, owner Elijah Kamski,  verified."

Elijah glances at the field. They've upgraded the security it looks like – it didn't use to _speak_. Granted it sounds like all they've given it is the most basic voice controls but still. What a thing to add.

They step into the elevators, where Lisa speaks, "Floor 43."

"Voice recognition validated," the elevator answers and sends them obligingly upwards.

"You've upgraded the security," Elijah comments. That's new too – the elevator used to work with key cards the last he was around.

"They're fairly recent additions," Lisa says. "Designed to make interacting with the tower's central systems more streamlined."

"Do they work?" Elijah asks curiously. "Have they increased productivity?"

"Well, now if someone forgets their key card, they can still get where they need to go," Lisa answers and shrugs. "So there's that."

High endorsement for such high-tech solutions for problems that weren't really broken. How much like Cyberlife. Elijah hums. "So what's the mood like in the upper floors, in light of all this… unrest going on?"

Lisa glances at him and then looks ahead, hesitating. "Well I can't call it cheerful," she admits then somewhat wryly. "I don't know how much I can tell you about what has been going on, though. Sorry, sir."

"I do know about the… deviancy problem," Elijah says. "It's been going on for a while now? Nine months since the first reported case, I think, wasn't it? And three months since you started field-testing that new prototype to _hunt deviants_ isn't it?"

Lisa hesitates.

"Did you know the android visited me?" Elijah asks idly. "Connor is an interesting specimen."

Lisa's eyes widen slightly at that. "The RK800 visited _you_?" she asks and then hastily grabs at her phone. "When – why?"

"Just this morning – as part of his investigation. His human partner wanted to ask me if I knew something they didn't," Elijah says and watches with interest how she reacts to that, both of the two Chloes staring at Lisa as well. Oh she's giving away quite a lot.

Connor was not authorised to visit him, then? How very curious. And they must be suspecting something about Connor's current state of mind, because the news seem to be making Lisa rather worried. Concerned about their last chance to save humanity going deviant on them, are they?

"It's likely it was Lieutenant Anderson's idea," Elijah says somewhat soothingly and looks away. "He did lead the conversation," until he didn't, of course.

"I hope it was no trouble, sir," Lisa says, with all the casualness of before gone, strictly processional and apologetic now. "The RK800 is authorised to chase down clues as part of its ongoing field testing and its field protocols are fairly… non-standard. Sometimes prototypes can come up with unorthodox solutions to simple situations."

Elijah smiles. Like refusing to shoot an android even when it means losing chance of getting answers? Connor gained no solutions from that act, but he refused anyway. "That's why we have field tests," he muses. "It was no problem – I found it… fascinating. Though finding police on my doorsteps was rather surprising."

Lisa swallows. "I'm sure you cannot possibly be considered in any way responsible. You haven't been part of android production for years."

"No, no I haven't," Elijah agrees and glances at her, giving her an arched brow. "But if I am not in any way responsible, then there's something very wrong with my patents. Should I get a lawyer?" he asks with exaggerated concern.

"You know what I mean," Lisa says and offers him a slight, awkward smile. "The issues of deviancy in androids came after your departure – what androids are doing is hardly your fault. I'm sure Mrs. Milton will be able to put the record straight there."

Elijah really wonders if she can.

The elevator comes to a stall on the topmost floor, releasing them into a wide open space leading to the various offices of CyberLife's high-ranking management. The CEO's office is right ahead, of course, its glass doors tinted white, barely discernible dark shapes moving within. Here, too, the decoration is the form of androids. More specialised, high-end models stand on pedestals by the walls; the expensive medical and sports units, the various scientific models, the highly expensive and highly sophisticated space-capable astronaut models… with the crowning jewel of CyberLife in the middle.

The body of the original Chloe, preserved in a glass case. She's not moving – she ceased to function over five years ago – and so she stands still, posed with her hands out like she's holding something for the viewer to take. The key to the future, perhaps.

The two Chloes at Elijah's side look up to her silently, while Lisa hurries ahead to announce him to Mrs. Milton. Elijah looks too, but… a lot of the old grief is gone now. That's not really Chloe in that glass case. It was the first one he built, it still holds an importance… but there's nothing in it. It's just a shell, empty and hollow.

He wraps his arms around the two Chloes at his sides, pressing a kiss on both temples in return. They hum, non-committal, and look down. Together the three of them walk pass the jewel of CyberLife's glowing nation, and into the office of its sovereign.

Time to see what future held for the greatest worst company on earth, and whether they were ready for the war that had just been declared upon their house.

Somehow Elijah doubts they are.

**Author's Note:**

> If all pans out according to plan, this will be JARVIS x Kamski. Yeah.


End file.
